Blitz the Ambassador on scoring PBS Documentary

by MVMT

<p>Blitz the Ambassador on scoring PBS Documentary from MVMT on Vimeo.</p>

Blitz the Ambassador interviewed about the process of scoring the PBS Documentary, Bronx Princess

Dir. by Terence Nance of the MVMT

TerenceNance.com

Produced by MVMT Media

mvmt.com

blitz.mvmt.com

embassy.mvmt.com

twitter.com/blitzambassador

 

 

 

Janelle Mon­áe feat. B.o.B & Lupe Fiasco – Tightrope (Wondamix) | Official Video

July 1, 2010 by Verse  
Filed under Music Videos

7 Comments

IT’S HERE!!!
Janelle Monáe x B.o.B x Lupe Fiasco!
Enjoy!

Southern Louisiana Chapter of RWA

The 5th Annual Dixie Kane Memorial Contest  

 

The Dixie Kane Memorial Contest is a literary contest in honor of the late Linda Kay West, attorney, who wrote as Dixie Kane. A member of SOLA and RWA for many years, Linda served in numerous board positions. She shared her knowledge of writing, publishing, and law generously as a speaker at SOLA’s meetings and conferences. SOLA created the Dixie Kane Memorial Contest to encourage aspiring writers to hone their craft and submit their work.

Sponsor: SOLA, the Southern Louisiana Chapter of RWA

Fee: $15.00

Deadline: July 15, 2010

Eligibility: Entrants do not need to be members of Romance Writers of America to enter.

Enter: Just a taste–the first five (5) pages double spaced and a synopsis (one page, single-spaced, not judged). No electronic submissions.  Contest Entry Form

Categories:

• Short/long series contemporary
• Single title contemporary
• Historical romance
• Paranormal
• Inspirational
• Novel w/ strong romantic elements
• Romantic suspense
• Erotic romance

Judges: Experienced, trained, published/nonpublished.

Final Judges:

• Alicia Condon, Editorial Director, Brava (Kensington Publishing)
• Alicia Rasley, Editor, Red Sage Publishing
• Lill Farrell, Editor, The Wild Rose Press
• Debra Dixon Editor, Bell Bridge Books
• Others TBA.

Prizes: $50 cash prize with tie breaker and special certificate for the overall highest score of all categories.  Also, first place winning entries will be sent to final judges for reading and potential requests for full or partial ms.  First, second, third place, and honorable mention certificates. Winners announcements in RWR, posted to SOLA’s website, New Orleans Times Picayune and other publications.

FMI: For entry form and rules visit www.solawriters.org, or email ngenovese@gmail.com, or send SASE to N. Genovese, 237 Pi Street, Belle Chasse, LA 70037

Sponsored by The Southern Louisiana Chapter

of the Romance Writers of America

Chapter No. 42

 

 

WritersWeekly.com's 24-Hour Short Story Contest!

You can enter the Summer 2010 contest below.

Please note: You must be entered in the contest before the topic is posted in order to submit your story. You cannot write your story first, then enter the contest.

24-Hour Short Story Contest! - $5.00

Select this to register for the Summer 2010 24-Hour Short Story Contest. Start time is July 24th , 2010 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) central time. Held quarterly and limited to 500 entrants. Don't miss out on the ultimate source for creative stress...and tons of fun! More than 85 prizes! (When you purchase this, you'll download a PDF file of the guidelines. There is also a link to them in the email receipt.)

I want to enter the Summer 2010 contest.

 

 

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Winners from the last contest

 

 

85 PRIZES FOR THE NEXT CONTEST!

 

GUIDELINES, judging criteria, and FAQs appear below prize list.

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1st Place

 

$300 Cash Prize

Publication of winning story on the WritersWeekly.com website.

1 - Freelance Income Kit

Includes:
1-year subscription to the Write Markets Report
How to Write, Publish and $ell Ebooks
How to Publish a Profitable Emag
How to Be a Syndicated Newspaper Columnist Special (includes the book; database of 6000+ newspapers; and database of 100+ syndicates)

 

 

2nd Place

 

$250 Cash Prize

Publication of winning story on the WritersWeekly.com website.

1 - Freelance Income Kit

Includes:
1-year subscription to the Write Markets Report
How to Write, Publish and $ell Ebooks
How to Publish a Profitable Emag
How to Be a Syndicated Newspaper Columnist Special (includes database of 6000+ newspapers and database of 100+ syndicates)

 

 

3rd Place

 

$200 Cash Prize

Publication of winning story on the WritersWeekly.com website.

1 - Freelance Income Kit

Includes:
1-year subscription to the Write Markets Report
How to Write, Publish and $ell Ebooks
How to Publish a Profitable Emag
How to Be a Syndicated Newspaper Columnist Special (includes the book; database of 6000+ newspapers; and database of 100+ syndicates)

20 - Honorable Mentions

Honorable mention winners receive a one-year subscription to The Write Markets Report AND one ebook of their choice.

 

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DOOR PRIZES (randomly drawn from all participants):

15 - One-year subscriptions to The Write Markets Report

5 - Freelance Income Kits ($49.95 value)

5 - copies How to Publish A Profitable E-mag

5 - copies of Query Letters That Worked
Features real query letters that landed these contracts: Woman's Day - $2,800; Redbook - $3,500; Ladies Home Journal - $3,000; DiscoveryHealth.com - $2,000; Lifetime Magazine - $3,000; Life Extension magazine - $6,480; Natural Remedies $11,300; and many more!

30 - Grab Bag!

Winners of grab bag get one ebook of their choice from our list HERE.

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CONTEST GUIDELINES AND RULES - PLEASE READ!

The contest topic will be emailed to all entrants at start-time. In the event of e-mail difficulties, the topic will also be posted online at start time right here.

If, on the date of the contest, you're checking the website for the contest topic and word count, don't forget to to click "REFRESH" on your browser so it'll pop up after we upload it.

Some ISPs filter out list mailings (which is what the contest mailing is) as sp*m. Therefore, you may not get the contest email. If that happens, pull the topic and word count (and rules!) from the web page above and start writing.

Rules:

1. Your story does NOT need to include the exact topic dialogue. It must only touch on the topic in some way to qualify. Lots of writers ask this question during each contest. so we want this to be perfectly clear. You don't have to quote the topic word-for-word, but you may if you like. It's your decision.

2. Don't forget to name your story!

3. The word count for each contest is distributed with the topic. Short stories exceeding the word count will be disqualified.

4. Type your name, email address, mailing address, phone number and word count at the END of the story. (Lots of people break this rule. Breaking this rule is grounds for disqualification.) We never use phone numbers unless there is an emergency regarding your entry or if, heaven forbid, your winning check is returned undeliverable. And, we never, ever share emails, phone numbers, addresses, names or anything with any other person or company. We do publish the email addresses of the winners on the WritersWeekly site so our readers can compliment their stories and send congratulations.

5. Send your story in the text of an e-mail message. Do not send e-mail attachments unless it is an emergency (your email starts cutting off parts of the story). If you must send an attachment, it must be a text-only file. All other attachments will be deleted. No fancy formatting, please, even in the body of the email. Text-only emails and attachments. Italics may be indicated by using underscores around the italicized area _like this_.

6. Submit your story to angela@writersweekly.com">angela at writersweekly.com by the deadline, which is 24 hours after the designated start-time.

7. Very Important. Please don't submit your story early and then continue to make corrections and submit your story again... and again...and again. Do not send your story more than once. We will use the first version of the story you send in. The occasional typo will be overlooked, so don't get stressed if you find one in your story later. We're looking for good writers, not editors. Everybooty makes typos, especialley under presshure, and we understann dis. However, if a few stories are finalists and we're having a hard time making a decision, a story with few or no typos will come out ahead of one with multiple typos.

8. For easy reference, guidelines (and hints) are online at: http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.html#guide

9. Sometimes writers submit their stories and find they are missing vast chunks at the ends of paragraphs because they have cut and pasted to their mail program from their word processor. Please make sure your entire story appears in your email before clicking "send." When we email you to confirm that we have received your story, the story will be included in that confirmation email. Please make sure the entire story is there...because that will show you what we received on our end. We can't be held responsible for partial entries. If you find part of your story missing, try sending us a text-only attachment.

10. Late stories are disqualified. During every contest, a dozen or so entrants submit their story late with an excuse (I had to go skiing, my dog slobbered on my keyboard, my mother in law made me go to the mall, I got my time zones confused, I forgot today was contest day, etc.) and ask us to accept it anyway or ask if they can get a refund or be moved to the next contest. We can't do that. To be completely fair, everyone must follow the rules. Stories are due here by the deadline. Many contestants simply send in their stories late with no explanation. We assume they think we won't notice the story is late. Those stories are also disqualified because they are late. All late stories are disqualified. No exceptions.

If your email to us bounces back to you and does not arrive on time, we still can't accept it. Computers can be manipulated to make it appear something was sent before it actually was. Therefore, stories must be IN our in-box prior to the deadline. If your email program tends to send items out late, you should send your story early to accomodate for this possibility.

If the deadline passes, please do not email asking us to accept it late, and please don't send in late stories. We can't include them anyway. In fairness to everyone entered, we can't break the rules for one. All stories ~arriving~ after the deadline will be disqualified.

11. And, finally...please, if you love us, give us a good ending! 95% of the stories we receive fall flat at the end. It's very depressing for us when this happens. The ending can make or break a story. :)

More rules:

Entrants may be located anywhere on the globe. Only single-author stories permitted. No co-authored stories or teams, please. Reprints are not permitted. All entries must be composed within the contest time frame. By entering the contest, you certify that you have read these guidelines in their entirety and that you agree, on winning the contest, to allow WriterWeekly.com to publish your winning entry on the WritersWeekly.com and WritersMarkets.com websites for an unlimited period of time on a non-exclusive basis. Winning authors retain reprint rights to their work. All other authors retain all rights to their work. Booklocker.com, Inc., Deep South Publishing Company, The Write Markets Report, WritersWeekly.com and WritersMarkets.com, their employees, officers and directors can not be held responsible for any electronic transmission problems. The company's liability will never exceed the cost of the entry fee. Refunds will not be issued. Decisions of the judges are final.

FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)

Q. How long do stories need to be?
A. We can't tell you until contest start time how long the entries must be. Past contests have ranged from 500 max. to 2,000 max. You'll just have to wait and see.

Q. Why won't you tell us the contest word count ahead of time?
A. Because we have found that some write their stories ahead of time and then (crafty they are) creatively incorporate the contest topic into their almost-completed story.

Q. What's the biggest mistake writers make in the contests?
A. Bad endings! Oh, we do so detest bad endings! Predictable endings, poor and weak endings...they can turn a wonderful story into a sour grape. We've read thousands of stories over the past two years and some absolutely wonderful and beautifully written stories end up losing on the last sentence. It's sad, but it's very, very common. Hint: We LOVE surprises!

Q. What do you base your judging criteria on?
A. In the contests, we give the topic and what we find, after reading the first few entries, is that most of the stories are the same story told over and over but in a different way. Those are weeded out because it is obvious that originality did not play a major part in their planning. We also look at good writing (but if the story is not good... it gets tossed as well). Some writers can weave a beautiful thread, but tell a really bad story at the same time. Humor plays a part, too, when appropriate in the story. If we groan, we don't like it. If we laugh out loud, we love it. What we end up with (at the end) is 10-20 stories that stood out above the rest. While good writing is a must, originality plays a huge role in the judging as well.

For example:
A past topic was: Life Threatening Situation in A Natural Disaster. Common themes were people trying to survive hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and the like. The winning entry focused more on the psychological madness of the wife than on the hurricane itself. Another winner gave us an avalanche. Not only was the story beautifully written, but it was the only avalanche story we received, and the life threatening situation was not the natural disaster, but the impending suicide of the main character.

Another topic was "It was the most terrifying classifed ad yet and, to top it off, a there was a blizzard brewing!" One writer wrote about a woman and classified ad...and she was drinking a blizzard from Dairy Queen. Now THAT was original!

I hope this gives you some ideas of what we're looking for in winning entries.

Q. What should I avoid?
A. Far too many stories come in with the main character being a writer. Please don't do that. It is far too common. Also, do NOT make the main character of your story named Angela and do not base your story in Bangor, Maine. These tactics are always used by a few in each contest and they don't work. In fact, making us think that favoritism because of a name or location will be used has the opposite effect on our judging. Good writing is what makes a winner...not manipulation of the judges. Oh, and don't make your story about a writer who is participating in a writing contest but who can't come up with an idea on the topic. We always get a couple of those and that idea is pretty old by now. ;)

Q. What is the judging process?
A. Stories are read and broken down into two categories. Finalists versus other. The finalists are read and ranked by all judges. Using the rankings, we pick the top 23. These 23 are then re-read and ranked again by the judges and awarded either first, second, third place, or an honorable mention. All others are eligible for door prizes which are awarded at random.

Have fun!

DC Hip-Hop Theater Festival

Start Time:	Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 12:00pm
End Time:	Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 11:30pm
Location:	Multiple Venues
City/Town:	Washington, DC

Description

9th Annual DC Hip-Hop Theater Festival
July 6 – July 10, 2010

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE --> http://www.hhtf.org/dchhtf-schedule-2/

Tried and true, the DC Hip-Hop Theater Festival is back with a steady stream of culture for the people of Washington, DC. The Festival jumps off with a DJ Showcase at the Kennedy Center, featuring some of the best Turntablists from the United States. We keep it moving to the Studio Theater for a series of special presentations and then on to Dance Place where we’ll close out the Festival. This year’s program features several late night events including the annual J-Dilla Benefit Concert, a special Comedy Night and our Closing Night Party. DC come rock with us and celebrate Hip-Hop!

TUESDAY, JULY 6

THE FOUNDATION: DMC DJ EXHIBITON Curated by Christie Z Pabon, DMC North American Producer
Hosted by Kokayi
Featuring two of the best DJs in the USA, this Millennium Stage event marks the first time the Festival will showcase the skills behind the art form of turntablism, where the turntables, under the hands of the DJs, become instruments to rock the crowd. Special guests include legendary DJ Rockin’ Rob, from the Bronx, NYC and DMC USA Supremacy Champion, DJ I-Dee.

6pm
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
2700 F Street, NW

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7

Hip-Hop Humanities: A Day on Earth
Co-presented with Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture

Join Majora Carter, Rha Goddess, Kymone “Papi” Freeman and Kari Fulton in a conversation on how to develop practical solutions through innovative, economically sustainable projects that are informed by community needs. The discussion will explore and comment on the relationships between “Green the Ghetto”, Hip-Hop culture, the work that is being done in the green sector and how people can get involved on a personal and professional level. Guests will explore how community ownership of “green culture” in their neighborhoods can become a reality.

12noon – 2pm
National Museum of American History
Carmichael Auditorium
14th & Constitution Ave., NW
Refreshments will be served

PAIGE IN FULL Written and Performed by Paige Hernandez
Music by Nick the 1da
Directed by Danielle A. Drakes
A Production of the Hegira
theHegira’s Paige in Full is a visual mix-tape that blends poetry, dance and live music to tell the tale of a multicultural girl growing up in Baltimore, MD. The production explores how a young woman’s identity is shaped by her ethnicity and popular culture, telling a personal, yet universal, story through the lens of hip-hop, while drawing upon a range of creative disciplines including literary, musical and
visual arts. This family-friendly show is perfect for adults and kids of all ages.

7pm
Studio Theater
1501 14th Street, NW

AMERIVILLE: THE “SNEAK PEAK”
Written and Performed by Universes, Directed by Chay Yew
In Special Arrangement with the Roundhouse Theatre Company
The Festival brings you a special sneak peak of the groundbreaking new piece by the theater, poetry, music mash-up ensemble, Universes. Inspired by New Orleans, Ameriville takes on what it means to be an American – with heart, impassioned dance and incandescent harmonies. This play will be fully produced by the Roundhouse Theatre in October, but through special arrangement the Festival audience gets to be the first to see the work in the DC Area. This performance is great for educators, families and young people. ONE SHOW ONLY. RSVP A MUST.

9pm
Studio Theater
1501 14th Street, NW

THURSDAY, JULY 8

"Where My Girls At?" Written & Performed by Micia Mosely
Directed by Tamilla Woodard
A Nursha Project Production
Micia Mosely returns to DC, portraying 5 characters representing the diversity of Black lesbian experiences, and challenging the notion that there is only one way to be Black or Queer in the 21st century. This thoughtfully compelling show tackles inter- and intra-group racism, sexism, and homophobia; and reminds us of the joy and pain that go along with bringing your full self wherever you go.

9pm
Studio Theater
1501 14th Street, NW

Late Night Comedy Cabaret (with a hint of Hip-Hop). Hosted by Kibibi Dillon Come laugh and lounge as Host/Comedian Kibibi Dillon navigates through a night of soulful humor featuring some of DC & NYC’s finest poets, comedians, MC’s, and musicians! Listen to the rants, raves and hilarious observations of comic’s Seaton Smith and others. Guard your guts with Micia Mosely’s satirical poetry, while The Hueman Prophets create and perform live rap songs based on audience members. The entire evening will be woven together by the music of Darius Smith & Choir Standing Room Only presenting familiar Hip-Hop and R&B tunes broken down into the sweet harmonies.

10:30pm
Bus Boys & Poets
2021 14th St., NW (at V St.)

FRIDAY, JULY 9

KEEPIN IT MOVING: THE LEGACY OF SANDMAN SIMS Directed and Choreographed by Holly Bass
A Work Commissioned by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Keepin It Moving is a new hip-hop theater work based on the legacy of the world-famous Apollo Theater and the life of Howard “Sandman” Sims. Conceived by DC hip-hop theater luminary, Holly Bass, this work explores African-American dance traditions ranging from tap to house to hip hop. Hip-Hop’s four elements boil down to the beat, the rhyme, the dance and the message, and Howard “Sandman” Sims evoked all of those things as he danced across generations, transmitting Black history and culture through fancy footwork, syncopated beats, boast rhymes and artistic innovation.

7pm
Dance Place
3225 8th Street NE

5th ANNUAL J DILLA BENEFIT CONCERT
Produced by Munch for Hedrush & J Laine

The 5th installment of this annual tribute honoring one of Hip-Hop’s most influential artists continues in its effort to raise awareness and support around the illness that claimed J Dilla’s life, Lupus. This event is also about the strength of the Hip-Hop community when it chooses to focus on positive change. The past 4 years have featured J Laine & The Players (live band) reproducing Dilla's music flipped by DC heros like Raheem Devaughn, Wes Felton, Wayna, Kokayi, Kev Brown along with Dilla-centric Special Guests like Slum Village, Dwele, Pete
Rock, Talib Kweli and Phife. So join HHTF, HedRush, the DC Loves Dilla Family & special guest(s) as we carry on tradition while raising funds for the Dilla & Lupus Foundations.

9pm
Black Cat
1811 14th St. NW
see hiphoptheaterfest.org or pookiesgallery.com for updates

SATURDAY, JULY 10

THE FRESHEST OF ALL TIME
Presented by Hip-Hop Theater Festival
a signature event of Words, Beats & Life
The District of Columbia’s largest B-Boy Jam celebrates one of the cornerstones of Hip-Hop culture – the B-Boy Battle. This event features some of the most prominent crews from DC, Maryland, Virginia, Philadelphia, Boston and New York. The Freshest of All Time will feature two-on-two, b-girl, popping & locking and small fry competitions. The 2009 event was attended by over 600 teens and adults. Note: The event runs all day so audiences are encouraged to attend at their leisure.

2pm - 8pm,
Columbia Heights Youth Club
1480 Girard Street NW

KEEPIN IT MOVING: THE LEGACY OF SANDMAN SIMS Directed and Choreographed by Holly Bass
A Work Commissioned by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture

Please see description above.

7pm
Dance Place
3225 8th Street NE

 

DC FESTIVAL CLOSING NIGHT PARTY
The party won’t stop till we say so…keep it movin’ into the night as we wrap up a full week of celebrating the culture w/ a special guest spinning everything that makes you move.

10PM – Midnight
Dance Place
3225 8th Street NE

Want to Start A Revolution? Radical Women in the Black Freedom Struggle

Sun, May 9, 2010

Feminism, History, Publication Reviews, Race

Dayo Gore, Jeanne Theoharis and Komozi Woodard (Eds.)
New York University Press (2009)
Reviewed by Ernesto Aguilar

The position of women as organizers seems under continuous scrutiny. For women of color, the clashes they face are compounded by questions of loyalty as well as privilege and struggling within communities that have been subjected to historic miseducation and troubles. A new work offers a lively picture of two dozen different women organizers and how their contributions define our present and, possibly, our future.

Want to Start A Revolution? Radical Women in the Black Freedom Struggle presents the work and thinking of dynamic women organizers, some you may know and others whose labors are not as remembered. The diverse collection, edited by Dayo Gore, Jeanne Theoharis and Komozi Woodard, tells a story of fluid political organizing that universally crossed the boundaries of traditional activism. Whether it was the Black Arts Movement or Black Panther schools, the women profiled in Want to Start A Revolution? gave life to movements. Today, their work can teach new activists about seeing struggles not merely in mechanical ways, but in forms that see the conflicts of the world as intersecting capital, education, work, socialization and norms, and ways women have organized to confront oppression and forecast visions of liberation.

It is a special work that can present a full chapter on activists like Vicki Garvin, the late former Communist Party activist turned globtrotting internationalist whose stays include time in China and postcolonial Ghana. Whereas Garvin got a passing mention in Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination, Robin D.G. Kelley’s sublime investigation of Black leftism, her motivations and life are here searched. Much can be said as well of Shirley Du Bois, Esther Cooper Jackson, Florynce Kennedy and Johnnie Tillmon, to whom following chapters are devoted. The editors do well to avoid triumphant revisions of history in all cases. The hardships Kennedy faced, the pain of hopes dashed by a military coup in Ghana, and most evidently, the sexism and chauvinism they endured are laid bare. The book is at points a stomach-churning read, but is instructive as collection of how women have succeeded as organizers and how movements evolve

Another intriguing segue in Want to Start A Revolution? is how those like Yuri Kochiyama, a woman of Japanese descent, Denise Oliver, a Black woman leader in the Young Lords Party, a revolutionary Puerto Rican organization, managed to navigate race, gender and class in their respective worlds. For Kochiyama it was through solidarity involvements that made her one of the Black liberation movement’s most visible allies, and for Oliver, it was putting the Young Lords on the forefront of anti-patriarchy activism. Such initiatives as study pushing men themselves to see their role in women’s oppression, during a period writer Sara Evans acknowledges in Personal Politics: The Roots of Women’s Liberation in the Civil Rights Movement & the New Left was a challenging one for women, were nothing short of remarkable. While many organizing pieces have been written of Kochiyama, Oliver, exposed to Puerto Rican culture at a young age, is an overlooked though leading voice in her own right.

As books like Radical Sisters: Second-Wave Feminism and Black Liberation in Washington, D.C. and others are giving the world a new look at women organizers and the involved relationships they navigated, Want to Start A Revolution? is among one of the best and freshest writings on women and movement-building in some time.

'Broken Social Contracts':

Sexual Violence at HBCUs (Part 1)

from LauraRahman.com

Synopsis

Laura Rahman’s film explores female and male relationships on the backdrop of two elite historically black colleges, Spelman and Morehouse (sister/brother institutions) in Atlanta, Georgia surrounding allegations of sexual assault on their campuses during the 2006 semester. Broken Social Contracts provides analyses beyond these two institutions through its interwoven poignant testimonials of activists, students, and scholars on gender roles within our society. Broken Social Contracts is a catalyst for stimulating conversation, while demonstrating how to engage in healthy relationships.

Statistics of sexual violence in our relationships are jarring and disturbing. Broken Social Contracts creates a profound opportunity of discovery and addresses the necessity for open dialogue within institutions of higher learning. The film brings voice to many of whom are often not discussed in our circles of influence.

This is a film that addresses us ALL across race, class and gender!

 

photo: Tony Smart Photography

“I create digital video imagery that confronts systems of oppression and encourages healing. The provoking documentary videos challenge our everyday normative actions in order to ignite necessary changes in our society that elevate our human conditions.”

Obama Exercise Books

 

I was on assignment in the Upper West Region of Ghana, photographing girls who have received bicycles to make it easier for them to ride to school. Prior to receiving the bikes, most of them had to walk not less than 7km every morning and back just to go to Junior Secondary School. It was so hectic for them that, the majority will just opt for early marriage and motherhood. It is an Action Aid project and the kind I will willingly support. Thousands more bicycles are needed.

When I visited one of the schools, I noticed a photograph of Obama boldly printed on the covers of an exercise book that said "GHANA SCHOOLS EXERCISE BOOK". I doubt that whoever prints those books has permission from the White House and I'm sure they don't really care what the honorable man thinks. I can understand that for the children, Obama is such an inspiration and having a photo of him on the back of your book is more than enough motivation to learn but the fact still is... His permission is needed. Not long ago, the White House asked Outerwear Company to pull down the Weatherproof billboard that had Obama on it.

Anyway, on my way back, I saw this beautiful scenery and I couldn't help but make a photo. Having lived in the Upper East for a year in 1996, I know how dry and brown it normally is up there. I wish it was always this green.

You know I can't end my post without saying something about football. Nyani and I are planning where to photograph tomorrow. He wants to capture the emotions on people's faces as the match is being played. I'd like to make a video. Does anybody know a place that gets crammed during soccer matches but is also lit quite well enough for us to work without popping flash in people's faces?

 

© Nana Kofi Acquah at 7/01/2010 12:44:00 PM  

 

Slavery in Haiti, Again: What's the Worth of a Haitian Child?

Friday 02 July 2010

by: Beverly Bell and Tory Field, t r u t h o u t | Report

A former child slave herself, Helia Lajeunesse sent four of her five children, including the two older ones shown here, into slavery because she feared they would die of hunger in her home. She later reclaimed the children. (Photo: Tory Field)

"I'm struggling to end slavery because I know how I suffered," said Helia Lajeunesse, a former restavèk, child slave, who is now a children's rights advocate.

Today, there are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world, according to the research of Kevin Bales of Free the Slaves. This is more than at any time in history, even including during the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

In Haiti, the only nation ever to host a successful slave revolution, 225,000 to 300,000 children(1) live in forced and usually violent servitude in a system known as restavèk, literally "to stay with." The numbers are at risk of rising dramatically because of the hundreds of thousands of children who lost their parents or were abandoned after the earthquake. In addition to likely trauma, hunger and health problems, unaccompanied minors are at threat from adults who may take advantage of a source of free labor. Unprotected girls are also at risk of what amounts to sex slavery, as rape of restavèk girls by the men and youth in the household is common.

The system usually works this way: A parent who cannot afford to feed or educate a child may give him or her to a better-off relative, neighbor or stranger who promises to provide care and schooling. The families giving up children are usually from the countryside, where poverty is unrelenting. The children are as young as three, with girls between six and 14 years old comprising 65 percent of the population.

Restavèk children toil long hours and rarely go to school. They are regularly abused. They usually eat table scraps or have to scavenge in the streets for their own food, sleep on the floor and wear cast-off rags.

They are not chained or locked up. One reason the children usually stay is the threat of severe punishment - often including beatings - if they are caught trying to escape and are returned to the family. Another reason is that they have no other source of food and shelter. Survival and safety options for street children in Haiti are not good, though some restavèk do escape to live on the streets.

Alina "Tibebe" Cajuste described her childhood as a restavèk this way: "This is a sad, sad story to the world. A woman who used to come sell in the market told my mother to give me to her. My mother had no support, so she had to.

"What did this woman make me do? I had to get up before 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning to make the food, sweep the floor and wash the car, so that when the family woke up everything would be ready. Then I had to wash dishes, fetch water and go sell merchandise for her in the countryside. When I came back from the marketplace, I would carry two drums of water on my head, so heavy, to wash up for her. Then I'd go buy things to make dinner. And I couldn't even eat the same food as her. If she ate rice, I only got cornmeal. I didn't even wear the same sandals or dresses as her child. My dresses were made out of the scraps of cloth that were left over from what she sold in the marketplace. I couldn't even sleep in a bed."

Among the trials she recounted of her life as a restavèk, Helia Lajeunesse recounted this: "One day I was coming back from delivering food to the child of the house, which I had to carry on my head to her at school every day. There was a man holding a school under a coconut tree. He called to me, 'Come be part of this school.' I said, 'No, I can't, because when I go home my aunt will beat me.' He said, 'You should come.' I went. Now when I went home, I said, 'There was a man holding a school, so I attended today.' The woman said, 'What? You went to school?' I said, 'Yes and could you please give me a little pencil and a notebook?' She asked me what I thought I was doing and started beating me.

"Poverty and misery made me not know how to read and write, or count in my head, until I was a grown-up.

"I escaped three times and went to different homes, four in all. But each time I suffered as badly or worse than before. I was abused so much. Misery was killing me."

Still, many years later when Helia's husband was murdered and she could no longer feed her five children, she said, "I was obliged to give four away, even though the youngest was only three years old. I only kept one who wasn't even a year old then."

Later, however, she went to a child rights training by the grassroots groups Commission of Women Victim to Victim (KOFAVIV). "That gave me consciousness and I went and got my children back. I said to myself, no matter what, I am going to keep my children. Now I'm with my four children [one of her five died in the earthquake]. I'm their mother, I'm their father."

The system has long been widely socially accepted and its neutral-sounding name has rarely been replaced by the more appropriate term of slavery. But efforts are underway to change this.

Today, Tibebe and Helia are part of a group of restavèk survivors who are raising visibility of and opposition to the system. Their group, KOFAVIV, is among a small but growing child protection network. The two women have traveled as far as Washington, DC, to speak out. They conduct trainings in children's rights and have helped organize two marches where thousands of women wore T-shirts saying, "I oppose the restavèk system. And you, what are you waiting for?" They are also part of a diverse global movement of people working to supplant commercialization and degradation of human life with dignity and rights.

For more on the work to end child servitude in Haiti and how you can help, see the upcoming blog post "A Second Slave Rebellion in Haiti," on July 15.

Footnote:

1. Estimates on the number of child restavèk vary. The recent UNICEF report "Haiti 2010-2011: Mid-Year Review of 2010 Humanitarian Action Report," estimates 225,000. Child right advocates typically put the number at 300,000.